The Concordia University Department of Recreation and Athletics will induct several new members into the Concordia Sports Hall of Fame at a gala dinner, which will be held at the John Molson reception room at Molson Breweries in Montreal this evening.
The induction ceremonies help kick off the university's Homecoming celebrations. For a full slate of events visit http://homecoming.concordia.ca .
Two athletes, two builders and two teams will enter the Hall. It is only the 14th time since Loyola College and Sir George Williams University merged in 1974 to form Concordia University that there will be inductions.
The 2008 inductees are Frances Williams, Dave Dies, Tom Lane, Carl Ohlson, the 1973-’74 Loyola Tommies women’s hockey team and the 1973-’74 Sir George Williams men’s basketball team.
Frances Williams, Athlete, 1956, Sir George Williams
Williams was one of the first females at Sir George Williams University to dominate women’s sports and to earn great respect for her accomplishments.
In 1955, she was honored with the Col. E. Gill Trophy presented annually to the top athlete at the university. It was only the second time in the history of Sir George that a woman was given with the award. During her four years, she took the intramural skiing and singles badminton championships. However, she was best known for her prowess on the basketball court.
Dave Dies, Athlete, 1964, Sir George Williams
Dies was one of Sir George Williams University’s first great men’s hockey stars. A highly decorated and respected centre, he raised the bar with his exceptional talents.
With 99 career goals, the high scoring centre is the all-time leading goal scorer in Georgian history. The prolific scorer was MVP of the hockey team in 1963 and ’64. He was awarded the Col. E. Gill Trophy as Sir George’s Athlete of the Year in 1964. He was an Ottawa-St. Lawrence Athletic Association all-star and became the Georgians’ first ever all-Canadian hockey player.
Tom Lane and Carl Ohlson, Builders, Loyola
Tom Lane and Carl Ohlson were instrumental in bringing the great tradition of football back to Loyola College after the program was put on hiatus in 1956. The senior administration was forced to discontinue football in order to use the available money to provide needed equipment. A lack of support from the student body was also cited.
Lane and Ohlson prepared and presented the Loyola administration with an extensive report, examining the obstacles blocking the return of football and offering solutions. They also conducted a poll of the student body that showed enthusiastic support for bringing the program back. The report was approved and football was brought back for the 1958 season.
1973-’74 Loyola Tommies women’s hockey team
The 1973-’74 Loyola Tommies women’s hockey team captured the Quebec University Athletic Association (QUAA) championship with a 4-1 victory over McGill. The team posted a perfect 6-0 win-loss record in the conference regular season and outscored its opponents 66-0.
1973-’74 Sir George Williams men’s basketball team
One of the most accomplished and exciting teams in the history of Sir George Williams University, this group was described by a columnist for the Georgian newspaper as “the best basketball team that has ever donned the Garnet and Gold.”
They were a force in Quebec, Canada and in games versus American colleges as well. The Georgians rolled up 31-10 overall record. For the first time in the history of the national rankings, Sir George Williams made the list, reaching the No. 8 spot.
The inductees will also be presented at halftime of the Homecoming football game on Saturday at Concordia Stadium. Kickoff is 1 p.m.
